Bongo Fury

just fitted my new silicon hoses to my bongo which was not overheating or losing water.

I followed the instructions on here to refill and bleed - bit of a struggle on your own, What a pain in the ass.

Following hadens method, I must have got something wrong. Cause the stat opened i.e heaters blowing hot, bubbles in funnel gone, (must still have air lock in rad) bottom rad hose not getting warm?

I took it for a v short drive started getting wisper of steam from rad cap - didnt seem boiling hot though, turned engine off imediately and removed pressure - hurd a glug in expansion tank so I guesses air lock, bottom rad pipe felt warm, I ran it breifly no steam from rad cap -took it for a short drive 400meters or so, slight wisper of steam again? lower rad pipe hose still cold.

expansion tank and both of the expansion tank hoses were warm but coolant not boiling but hot, rad cap was (not steaming like kettle) v slight mist, hope this isnt causing damage i.e. head - I've given up for now. Fans not cutting in or anything and engine temp not red hotto touch . I pray I havent harmed the h gasket - was very brief.

I see in one persons thread if this or that happens stop. Well I didnt get those heat related issues - nor did the expansion tank pee out the cap vent pipe, The last vehicle I bled was no problem.

what to do - plough on trying to bleed? risk causing damage? ( I know all you can suggest is following the instuctions on here.)

karlos wrote:just fitted my new silicon hoses to my bongo which was not overheating or losing water.

I followed the instructions on here to refill and bleed - bit of a struggle on your own, What a pain in the ass.

Following hadens method, I must have got something wrong. Cause the stat opened i.e heaters blowing hot, bubbles in funnel gone, (must still have air lock in rad) bottom rad hose not getting warm?

I took it for a v short drive started getting wisper of steam from rad cap - didnt seem boiling hot though, turned engine off imediately and removed pressure - hurd a glug in expansion tank so I guesses air lock, bottom rad pipe felt warm, I ran it breifly no steam from rad cap -took it for a short drive 400meters or so, slight wisper of steam again? lower rad pipe hose still cold.

expansion tank and both of the expansion tank hoses were warm but coolant not boiling but hot, rad cap was (not steaming like kettle) v slight mist, hope this isnt causing damage i.e. head - I've given up for now. Fans not cutting in or anything and engine temp not red hotto touch . I pray I havent harmed the h gasket - was very brief.

I see in one persons thread if this or that happens stop. Well I didnt get those heat related issues - nor did the expansion tank pee out the cap vent pipe, The last vehicle I bled was no problem.

what to do - plough on trying to bleed? risk causing damage? ( I know all you can suggest is following the instuctions on here.)

Hmmmm. Sounds like no damage done to me. Can't read anything that says you ensured the bottom hose was warm/hot but assume you must have, from Haydns instructions. Did you leave engine running for good periods at 2500rpm, with recommended tickover intervals in between?

No doubt Haydn will be along shortly with thoughts and good luck getting it sorted

When we tried to bleed through and couldnt get the bottom hose hot it turned out we had a faulty thermostat.
Might be worth looking into as when we followed all of the instructions the method worked great for us after we had replaced the thermostat.

No I couldnt get the bottom hose warm on the rad,

and I dont think the stat is faulty as all was well before I drained down to change hoses.

The hose got warm breifly after I took it for a short drive when it seemed to almost overheat, when I opened the expansion tank I heard a glug and then the bottom hose seemed to get warm then. (I quessed I had an air lock)

I'm not really keen on running the motor for long periods with out circulation, i.e hoses not getting warm - I've not evpierence this before a bit scarey. The top hose on rad gets warm so does the radiator halfway up, but running the motor whilst bleeding until the bottom hose gets warm seems to make the rad filler cap start to steam slightly? obvioulsy i'm not gettin the air out quick enough! is it possible to take the stat out completely of does it form part of the seal/gasket for the housing? I filled up as I put hoses on and did get flow from the rad through the lower hoses out the head on the drivers side.

will have to try again , just wirng up temp gauge to keep an eye on things you say 85 deg ish stat opens?

It probably will start to overheat if you take it for a run and it's not been bled......co's the caps are on and air is less likely to escape...
Suggest you go back to the instructions and follow them through....you will get a bit of steam as things progress....no pressure in the system = lower boiling point...
|The bottom hose will go hot 30/40 mins and then it's job done soon after....I think you are getting worried without reason......if the gauge dosn't move you will be fine.

Don't take it for even a little run till you have got that bottom hose hot (stat open)

so its ok to run it when the rad/ cap start to a little bit steamy? I have wired my temp gauge which seems to be reasonable calibration as I do not think water is actually boiling i'm stopping when temp gauge is at 85 deg - this is when rad cap area seems to be getting a bit uncomforatble looking for me, like coolant on a hot pipe, the pipes to the expansion tank is hot but the coolant isnt actually boiling/bubbling. (seems a bit of a scarey exercise) I've never run any thing so long of noticed it looking so hot before!

I appreciate I need to get that bottom radiator hose warm before I drive it, I just dont want to run the engine until it damages it.

karlos wrote:just fitted my new silicon hoses to my bongo which was not overheating or losing water.

I followed the instructions on here to refill and bleed - bit of a struggle on your own, What a pain in the ass.

Following hadens method, I must have got something wrong. Cause the stat opened i.e heaters blowing hot, bubbles in funnel gone, (must still have air lock in rad) bottom rad hose not getting warm?

I took it for a v short drive started getting wisper of steam from rad cap - didnt seem boiling hot though, turned engine off imediately and removed pressure - hurd a glug in expansion tank so I guesses air lock, bottom rad pipe felt warm, I ran it breifly no steam from rad cap -took it for a short drive 400meters or so, slight wisper of steam again? lower rad pipe hose still cold.

expansion tank and both of the expansion tank hoses were warm but coolant not boiling but hot, rad cap was (not steaming like kettle) v slight mist, hope this isnt causing damage i.e. head - I've given up for now. Fans not cutting in or anything and engine temp not red hotto touch . I pray I havent harmed the h gasket - was very brief.

I see in one persons thread if this or that happens stop. Well I didnt get those heat related issues - nor did the expansion tank pee out the cap vent pipe, The last vehicle I bled was no problem.

what to do - plough on trying to bleed? risk causing damage? ( I know all you can suggest is following the instuctions on here.)

Sounds to me like a leaky cap seal........................

I just ran it longer, and did get the bottom hose warm/hot - temp would not go above 80/85 deg so no fan cut in etc. unless the minor seem is spilt/overflow coolant from the proceedure, I recon Dandy could be right - not boiling up and I think surely any spilt coolant would have burnt off fairly quickly?- I might have to try a new rad cap.-

Anyway touch wood all seems well (should have been a bit braver and run for longer Better Be Safe Than Sorry Though)-

I considered if it would be worth modifiying and installing a plumbing air vent in that vent pipe. I recon filling the system and keep topping up while running the engine with an arv "automatic air vent open, I recon it would bleed it's self. much the same as hadens method with the funnel the air rises to the top! " just have to keep an eye on levels in the expansion tank. As they do tend to explell a little bit of fluid with the air!

I was seriously weighing it up after reading Hadens method earlier while trying to bleed up on my own! ( I supose though as you rev in Hadens method and initial the coolant level drops that my prevent a problem with an arv, but if the expansion tank topped it up it would work!)

Anyway not driven it yet - but hose got hot so should be ok and engine wouldnt overheat so! Thanks Haden Caroll!

I personally wouldn't try using a valve in the bleed pipe.....How would you know when the job is done.???.(and coolant would also escape)..nice to see those bubbles in the funnel and know that when they have stopped the job is done......
Sounds as though you have done it now and in future you will have more confidance.

A decent automatic bleed valve will only bleed air with maybe a drip of water towards finishing it's job where it will stop hissing then spit and drip a couple times!- in commercial environment they will be left open constantly they lose such little water and cope with in excess of 100 deg c at 4+ bar. obvioulsy it's a bit of an unknown with automotive and I suposed if they worked they would be used, as a auto/manual type operation.

The last car I did, I just ran it with the small bleed screw out the top of the rad 5 mins job done. (although that has a swirl pot filler neck in the system to expel air too)

The bongo seemed tricky but I think I've got it "fingers crossed" (hopefully when/if I do it again it wont be so bad!)

haydn callow wrote:I personally wouldn't try using a valve in the bleed pipe.....How would you know when the job is done.???.(and coolant would also escape)..nice to see those bubbles in the funnel and know that when they have stopped the job is done......
Sounds as though you have done it now and in future you will have more confidance.

Haden is correct & his advice is good. There is a mod on his system that makes it a much easier single handed job with no topping up with no risk of coolant being blown out, consequently no air being sucked in.
Go to the KENLOWE Coolant Heater Fact Sheet. At the end of the sheet you will fined a section on assistance with bleeding, adding a large reservoir bottle at high level via a 22mm tank connector fitted to a reservoir tank cap. Now OK your not fitting the 'KENLOWE' electric pump, but you can extend the vent pipe with a larger bore clear tube. The larger tube will assist the air to escape
Feed it out & over the passenger door making sure there are no dips, so it rises until it drops into the open top of the attached 20ltr clear bottle. Follow the instructions as per the KENLOWE & cross referenced haydn callow bleeding coolant fact sheet.
Now you can just sit back in the driver seat & watch the air bauble out the vent & through the extended reservoir.
Once you have made the bits you have it for good.
Remember as has been said many time getting the system hot enough to open the thermostat, then blast the air out is all important, be patient & you will see it happen.